Julius



JUL'IUST. EDSON, OF CLEVELAND,

PATENT OFFICE.

OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HOWARD w. WHITE, or SAME PLACE.

FlBROUS-PULP ROOFING-TILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,192, dated January 6, 1885.

Application filed July 28, 1884.

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, JULIUS T. Ensox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fibrous- Pulp Roofing Tile; and I do hereby declare the following to be a description of the same and of the manner of constructing and using the invention in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it appertains to construct and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention is that of the manufacture of a roofing-tile formed by passing fibrous pulp through certain processes, hereinafter stated and described. The article thus produced is impervious to water, resists heat, is not brittle or frangible like slate, is not affected by the frosts and ice of winter, is as easily han dled and nailed as shingles, and presents a finished. and attractive appearance. It also may very readily be out and shaped into any desired form and size.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a tile. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the same, A. showing the body of the pulp, and l and (l outer coatings, as hereinafter specified.

The process of the manufacture of this tile is as follows: Any available and suitable fibrous pulp being prepared, portions ofit are pressed, by any means or machinery,into such forms as are desired. These forms, being suflicient] y dried, are then subjected to a waterproof solution until they are thoroughly im pregnated therewith. They are then suffr ciently baked to harden in them the material constituents received from said solution. ikfter this baking the articles are treated with a mixture that imparts to them an enameled surface, adapting them to resist the action of heat. Before this enamel has entirely hardened, while it is yet sticky, a coating of sand 'is applied to it,which adds to its adaptability to endure heat and resist flame.

Said sand being thus applied, the tiles are still again (No model.)

subjected to a baking heat. Said sand is indicated by G in Fig. 2, and said enamel is indicated by B in same figure.

By the use of varied-colored sand a variety of colors may be given to the tile.

Of the tile thus produced its advantages for roofing purposes over and above those of slate are many. In a slate roof great weight is absolutely unavoidable, while the pulp tile is very light, obviating the necessity of the heavy roof'frame requisite for a slate roofing. From the inherent brittleness of a slate tile it is constantly liable to be broken from the blow of stones or other articles upon it, or from human footsteps, while the pulp tile, pre pared as herein set forth, is devoid of such imminent frangibility. Also, as water works into the joints and under the layers of a slate roof and freezes, there is great exposure to a breakin Also, it is impracticable to have slate tiles lie compactly together on a roof, their brittle nature not permitting them to be very tightly drawn together by the nails. Also, the drilled holes of slate tiles expose them to some late a1 motion. All such deficiences are obviated by the hereindescribed pulp tile. In the present invention the nails may be driven as close home as they are in shingles, so as to bind and bed the tiles most completely together without the possibility of any lateral movement. Nails penetrate them with greater case than they do shingles, and are hugged closer by the elastic quality of the pulp thanby the more rigid quality of wood. And to these advantages must be added the cheapness of the pulp tile above one of slate and the ease of its transportation. invention is not confined to roofing, but may be readily applied to other uses, as of interior decoration, as of walls, or otherwise. It at" fords a fabric of feasible application to any surface, and furnishes a handsome and at tractive appearance. \Vhen left without the applied sand, the enamel gives a bright and lustrous surface, peculiarly fitting it for indoor uses or other similar applications.

\Vh at, therefore, I claim isl. A fibrous-pulp tile impregnated with a water-proof solution and enameled with a fire proof solution, substantially as set forth.

2. A fibrous-pulp tile impregnated with n Also, my

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Water-proof solution, enameled with a fireof sand; and, seventh, subjecting said tile to proof solution, and provided with a coatingof another operation of baking heat, substansand, substantially as set forth. i tially as set forth.

3. A process of making fibrouspulp tile In testimony that I claim the foregoing to 5 by, first, pressing the pulp into the desired be myinvention I have hereunto set my hand r5 form; second, drying the same; third, impregthis 2lth day of July, A. D. 1884-. nating said tile with a Water-proof solution- JULIUS T. EDSON'.

fourth, subjecting said tile to a baking heat; Witnesses:

fifth, treating said tile with a fireproof solu- I J. B. FAY, 1o tion; sixth, furnishing said tile with acoating 1 Mo. G. I'IAL'L. 

